Valve protector for gas cylinders



May 25, 1954 F. F. HUMBARGER 2,679,332

VALVE PROTECTOR FOR GAS CYLINDERS Filed May 18, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1948 lN/ENTFQ- FRANKA F. HUMBARGER ATTORNEYPatented May 25, 1954 VALVE PROTECTOR FOR GAS CYLINDERS Frank F.Humbarger, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Pyrofax Gas Corporation, a corporation ofDelaware Application May 18, 1949, Serial No. 94,002

Claims.

This invention relates to the apparatus required for protecting thevalves of cylinders of fuel gas such as are used for domestic cookingand other purposes. An object of this invention is to simplify thistamper proof apparatus. Another object is to provide such apparatuswhich is easy to assemble, is of reduced cost, and makes unnecessary theprovision of any heavy supports therefor, yet the hood for each cylinderis safely and non-removably attached when locked in place.

The need for rendering the valves of fuel gas cylinders tamper proof,was long ago recognized by the fire underwriters. Many suggestions havebeen made for accomplishing this result. Perhaps a most Widely usedproposal for iiiling this need has been a cabinet for entirely enclosingthese cylinders and regulator, the cabinet being affixed to the outsideof a dwelling. Such cabinets have been heavy and expensive. Othersuggestions have contemplated one or several hoods slidable or pivotallymounted tov open and provide access to theseparts but not fullyenclosing the cylinders. An objection to these proposals has been thenecessity of having heavy supports for the one or more hoods.

According to this invention the need for the previous heavy hoodsupports has been eliminated by the provision of a separate hood orcover for each cylinder so constructed as to be readily removed oropened for providing access to the valve on top of each cylinder, yetincapable of being opened or raised when locked in place. A feature ofthis invention resides in the abilityvto lock a cover on a cylinderwithout the necessity of some locking element being built onto or intothe cylinder and without the need for more than one locking member beingattached to each cover. Specifically this is made possible by theprovision of a light support for the regulator cover provided on anadjacent building independently of the covers for each cylinder. Thecover for eac-h cylinder rests upon the rim of the cylinder at threeangulariy separated positions. At one such position the cover isprovided with an apron cooperating with the outer surface of thecylinder for preventing the cover being raised by tilting an oppositeedge thereof. Preferably at this same position a locking device isprovided to engage the cylinder rim to prevent the cover being raised atthis position. Thus with the cover locked it is incapable of beingeither raised vertically oif the cylinder and also incapable of havingany portion of the cover rim tilted enough to provide access to thecylinder valve beneath it.

Other objects as well as novel features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts will become apparent by reference to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of combined cylinder dome covers andregulator housings illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the dome cover taken alongthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with part broken away and with certain portionsshown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a vertical section taken along the line3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of an irregular .cross-section taken insidethe dome cover of Fig. 2 along the line 4 4;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of an exploded detail of the tongue andswivel nut shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view of a section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing and especially to Fig. 1, a pair of gascylinders are indicated at l0 and Il, one of which constitutes a servicesource of gas supply, and the other a reserve source of gas supply. Thecylinders I) and H stand upon a base l2 and have individual dome coversi3 and I4 respectively.

Inwardly turned rims l5 and I6 are provided on the top edge of thecylinders for protecting cylinder valves Il and I8 duringtransportation. On each of these rims I5 and I6 are seated the domecovers i3 and pressed into the form of a flanged and shallow dome withdownturned peripheral edges or flanges I9 and 20, to the inside of eachof which are secured two rest members 2i (of which one is seen in Fig.2) and a rest member in the form of a clamp-bracket 22. The rest membersand clamp-bracket are preferably secured to the inside cf each domespaced from each other and have portions projecting inwardly of the domeedges. Each rest 2l is formed from a sheet vmetal 'blank which is bentto provide two vertition and to safeguard the entire assembly againstdeformation in the event of a weight or other force being applied on thetop of the dome. Flanges 23 of the rest 2l engage with the inner surfaceof the dome, while lip 24 is secured to I4 made of sheet metal- 3 theperipheral flange 9 by suitable means such as bolting or welding.

The clamp-bracket 22 (see Figs. 2 to 6) is also of sheet steel bent tothe desired shape. A flange 26 of the upwardly extending portion ofclampbracket 22 is secured to the top of the dome cover I3 by welding orother means. The upwardly extending portion of clamp-bracket 22 has twooutwardly bent (punched out) ears 21 formed with pivot holes 28 to alignwith two pivot holes 29 in the upper end of a downwardly extendingtongue or detent 30. A cotter pin 3i orsimilar means is inserted throughthe holes 28 and 23, thereby pivotaily suspending the swingable detent30.

A notch 32 in the flange I9 of dome cover I3 permits a screw 33 and alock-bracket 34 to pass horizontally through. The lock-bracket 34 haslaterally extending portions 19 secured to the inside of the iiange I9of dome cover I3 by bolt- To the ing, welding, or other suitable means.end of the screw 33, a handwheel 35 is permanently attached, allowingeasy turning of said screw. To prevent turning of the handwheel 35, aseries of holes 36 are spaced about the hub of the handwheel so that onewill align itself with a hole 31 in the lock-bracket 34 to allow theyoke or bow 3B of a padlock 39 to pass through the aligned holes.

The tongue 39 has two slots 40 through which are engaged two projections42 of a swivel nut 4I. The screw 33 with the attached handwheel 35 isthreaded into the swivel nut 4I by means of said handwheel. A washer 43on the neck of screw 33 retained by upset lugs 44 is used to preventlongitudinal movement of the screw 33 by engagement with an upstandingprojection 18 of bracket 34.

The dome cover I3 cannot be vertically lifted off the cylinder rim whena locking surface 45 of tongue contacts with and extends below theinturned portion of rim I5 of cylinder I0 at point 46. Tilting of thedome cover I3 is also prevented by a downwardly dependent apron member41 of clamp-bracket 22 which is curved to conform with the externalcurvature of the cylinder I0, as shown in the position indicated inFigs. 2, 3, and 4. The apron 41 extends below the rim i5 and the coveredge I9.

Fig. 2 illustrates the dome cover I3 in its locked position. To removethe cover, the padlock is removed and handwheel is turned so that theswivel nut 4i feeds along the screw 33, pivoting the tongue 36 to theopen position indicated by the dot and dash lines. The exact travel ofthe tongue 30 as caused by the rotation of screw 33 is determined by thesize of the valve protecting band or inwardly turned rim I5 of thecylinder I0 encountered. By having individual 'dome covers I3 and i4,replacement of either cylinder when empty is facilitated by onlyremoving the padlock 39, releasing the tongue 30 and then lifting thedome cover I3 off the cylinder. Thus by having the cylinder dome coverI3 rest on the cylinder by the rests 2I and a clamp-bracket 22, aconvenient, simple, and eiiicient means is provided enabling anyauthorized person to move the dome cover out of its normal position.

This construction, by having an adjustable clamping device, allows for avariation in cylinder sizes, being able to accommodate variations up toone-half inch of the width across the rim on the top edge of thecylinder valve protecting band and is capable of accommodating similarirregularity in the vertical depthof the said CPI 4. protective rim. Theability of the cover of this invention to accommodate variations isimportant as modifications in cylinder design have resulted over aperiod of years in large numbers of cylinders in service.

A regulator 48 and an automatic changeover valve 49 are protected by ahousing H comprised of two sections, a top cover 50 and a front cover5I. A suitable regulator, for example, may be similar to the one shownin United States Patent No. 2,319,659 issued to Herman W. Carnes.Automatic changeover valve 49, which is coupled to the inlet ofregulator 48, is preferably of the type illustrated in United StatesPatent No. 2,075,600 issued to Harry J. Baker. Such an automaticchangeover valve has a lever 52 extending laterally toA either side andmay desirably be formed in the shape of an arrow or pointer 53 as toindicate from which of the cylinders gas is being withdrawn by thedirection of the pointed head. When the lever 52 is thrown to the left,as shown in Fig. 1, gas will flow from the left cylinder I0 acting forthe moment as a service cylinder, through a tube 54 from the cylinder I0to the automatic changeover valve 49 into the regulator 48 and thenceout into a consumer appliance line 55. When gas cylinder I0 is empty,the changeover valve performs the automatic function of providingcontinued withdrawal from the reserve cylinder I I. Upon replacement ofthe gas cylinder 0, now assumed empty, the person furnishing the fullreplacement cylinder opens and removes lock 56 and raises the frontcover 5| of the regulator housing H in order to turn changeover lever 52through a rotation of in a vertical plane to allow re-establishment ofgas flow conditions but in a manner or sequence exactly opposite tothose prevailing prior to manipulation of changeover lever 52.

To indicate when the service cylinder has become exhausted, if desired,a signalling device such as a signal gauge (not shown) may be attachedto the tube 51. Said signal gauge has a dial and indicator especiallydesigned for public interpretation and can be attached to regulatorhousing H or can be installed inside the customers dwelling.

What is claimed is:

l. A protective device for a gas container having cylindrical side wallswith an upper inwardly turned annular rim, said device comprising acover having a downwardly directed perpheral edge outside and of largerdiameter than said rim; and a locking mechanism for securing said coverin position on the container, said mechanism including: a bracketsecured to the inside of the cover adjacent its rim and having a seatingportion extending inward of said cover edge for engagement on saidcontainer rim, a rigid downwardly extending apron member secured to saidbracket within said outside peripheral edge, constructed to engage withan outer side wall surface of the gas container below said rim and belowthe edge of the cover for preventing the tilting of the cover, saidlocking mechanism being operable from outside of the cover and containerand having a single movable detent constructed and arranged for outwardmovement into engagement with the inturned portion of said container rimand for clamping said bracket to the rim.

2. VA protective device for a gas container having cylindrical sidewalls with an upper inwardly turned annular rim, said device comprisinga cover having a downwardly directed peripheral edge of larger diameterthan said rim; and a clamping mechanism for securing said cover inposition on the container, said mechanism including: a clamp-bracketsecured to the inside of the cover adjacent its rim and having a seatingportion extending inward of said cover edge for engagement on saidcontainer rim, a rigid downwardly extending apron member constructed toengage with the outer side wall surface of the gas container below saidrim and below the edge of the cover for preventing the tilting of thecover, and an upwardly extending portion which is secured to the insideof said cover; a swingable detent having an upper portion pivotallysecured to the upwardly extending portion of the clampbracket and alower portion formed to engage with the inturned portion of said rim;and operating means. extending from a point outside of the cover edgeand operably connecting the detent and said bracket for swinging saiddetent to and holding it in engagement with said rim.

3. A protective device for a gas container according to claim 2 in whichsaid operating means is a rotatable shaft having a threaded portioncooperating with mating threads of the operable connection between thedetent and said bracket and having a perforated handwheel at its outerend; and a locking member extending outwardly from said clamp-bracketand having an outer end portion with an opening positioned so that oneof the perfora-tions of the handwheel may be aligned therewith forengagement of a lock device.

4. A protective device for a gas container having cylindrical side wallswith an upper inwardly turned rim, said device comprising a coversupported on said rim and having a downwardly directed peripheral edgeflange outside of and of larger diameter than said rim, and a lockingdevice secured to said cover and including a rigid downwardly extendingapron member secured to said cover inside its peripheral edge flange,said apron member being constructed to extend between a container outersurface and said cover edge flange and to engage the outer side wallsurface of the gas container below its rim and below the cover edgeflange for preventing rais*- ing an edge of the cover opposite saidapron member, said locking device also including a swingable lockingdetent secured to and beneath said cover, said locking detent having alower portion formed to engage beneath the inturned portion of thecontainer rim in locked position adjacent said apron member, saidlocking detent being on an inner side of a gas container side wall fromsaid apron member and in general radial alincment with at least aportion of said apron memberl and said locking device including meansfor swinging said locking detent into and out of y locking positionbeneath a container rim from outside said cover edge flange and forholding it in engagement with said rim.

5. A protective device according to claim 4 in which said cover isprovided on its under and inner side with a plurality of angularlyspaced projections having bottom portions thereof shaped to rest on theinturned rimy of a cylinder and support said cover above the containerrim higher than it would be if these supporting projections were absent.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 183,951 Maginn Oct. 31, 1876 1,555,759 Rowe Sept. 29, 19251,790,130 Austin Jan. 27, 1931 1,792,622 Wikstrom Feb, 17, 19311,797,765 f Frank Mar. 24, 1931 1,807,527 Hanny May 26, 1931 2,084,231Watkins June 15, 1937 2,095,227 Brown Oct. 12, 1937 2,105,135 AndersonJan. 11, 1938 2,115,947 Ellison May 3, 1938

